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How do rattan palms use spiny structures to climb?

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Dense grove of acai palm trees (Euterpe oleracea) with slender trunks and abundant green fronds growing on Combu Island in Belem, Para, Brazil. — Palm Wild acai palms (*Euterpe oleracea*) growing on Combu Island in Belem, state of Para in Brazil.

Rattan palms, which are a type of high-climbing vine, use their spiny structures to anchor themselves as they ascend toward the forest canopy. These specialized palms utilize their thorns or spines to hook onto surrounding vegetation, providing the necessary support to climb through the forest environment.1